Safety device for wringers.



A. H. PETERS.

SAFETY DiVlGE FUR WRINGERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR/20.1916.

Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

wzrmsssas: 452 2 401 INVENTOR,

' f fid/Mfi ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR H. PETERS, 0F FORT 'AYNE. INDIANA ASSIGNOR TO HORTON MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR WRINGERS.

Application filed March 20, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, An'rnun H. Pe'rnns, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Fort \Vayne, in the county of Allen and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Devices for W ringers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in safety devices for \vringers, cspraially of that class employed in conjunction with oWer-drivcn washing machines. The ob- Ject ofthe improvements are: First, to construct .the device so that its operation may be stopped instantly at any stage in order to avert impending accident; and second to aflorda simply constructed device by means of which the apparatus may be readily readjusted to operating position after having been thrown out of position.

The objects of the improvements are accomplished by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: I

Figure 1 is a plan view of the supporting bracket, operating lever and springs for holding same in normal position;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan of the same and including also the securing yoke and adjustin? sleeve;

i 3 is a side elevation of the operating mom or; and

Fig. 4 .is a front elevation of a wringer with the device applied thereto with a, portion of the latter in section.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views and referring now to the same:

(1) is a wringer having standards ('2) at the sides thereof in which are mounted the wringer rollers (3) which are arranged to be compressed together in the usual manner. by means of pressure applied by the spring (4) that bears at its respective ends upon the bearings (5).

A bracket (6) is secured at its respective ends in the top of the standards (2) and has mounted loosely therein an adjusting sleeve (7 A stud (8) in fixed relation with the spring (4) at the center thereof has Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4, 1917. Serial No. 85,278.

screw-threaded relationwith the sleeve (7) so that as the latter is turned in one direction or the other the spring will become impressed more o less upon the bearings (5) which has the effect of holding the rollers together with force accordingly.

An annu ar recess (9)- is made in the sleeve at a point abo e thc 'bracket (6) and a latch (10) extending in a slot (11) in the bracket is secured upon a pivot (12). A projection (13) on the upper end of the latch (10) extends normally into the groove and engages the shoulder (14) on the shreve so as to hold the sleeve from rising. A spring (15) arranged within the bracket acts against the latch at a. point beneath the pivot (12) so that the projection (13) tends to bear against the sleeve and enter the recess when alined therewith. A tubular extension (16) is fixed in the lower side of the bracket through which the sleeve ('7) extends in bearing relation, and upon the extending portion of the tube is mounted the operating member whieh is comprised of a. horizontal bar (17) having at each of its ends a pendant handle (18). The endsof the bar (17) project oppositely from the corresponding sides of the bracket (6) so that. the handles depending therefrom are normallv positioned adjacent the opposite sides of the uppermost roller (3) of the \vringer. The operating member is held upon the extension (16) loosely, so that it may be oscillated thereupon, by means ofl a yoke (19), a cap-screw (20) serving to sncure the yoke to the underside of [the bracket. A pair of tension springs (21), each secured at one end to a screw (22) on the bracket, and having their respective 0pposite enrls secured to the corresponding opposite ends of the bar (17), serve to yieldingly hold the operating member in normal position with the bar extending at right angles to the bracket. From one side of the bar (17) extends a lug (23) that is adapted to block inward swinging movement of the lower end of the latch (10). when the op crating member is in normal position and also to move out, of the path of the latch when the operating member is turned upon the extension in either direction. Thus the latch will be normally locked in engagement with the shoulder (14) of the sleeve and prevent its rising, but when the posi tion of the operating member is shifted the sleeve may be released from the detention of the latch when pressed upwardly bg the action of the spring (4), the latch eing free to swi upon its pivot when not obstructed by t e lug. The latch (10) being pivoted at apoint at one side of the sleeve readily slips from its holding engagement with the shoulder (14) on the sleeve when the' latter bears upwardly and when the latch is not hindered by the lug on the opcrating member.

In the operation of the invention the rollers (3) .are held together with more or less pressure exerted by the spring (a) accordingly as the sleeve isturned by manipulating its hand-wheel. (2-1), and as the rolls are revolved in the customary manner, in the event of an impending accident, the operator may release the spring pressure upon the rollers by simply shoving the operating member to one side or the other w ich has the effect of throwing the lug from the path of the latch so that the sleeve slips from its detained position. This facility is especially .of advantage where the rollers are operated by power with a remote control, inasmuch as the rollers may be instantly re leased from pressure of the spring by the disengagement of the latch from the sleeve which takes place when the operating memher is sli htly turned laterally in either direction y mani ulation from either side of the wringer. hus, should the operator accidentally allow his hand to be drawn between the' rollers, it is only necessary upon his part to escape injury, to strike one or the other of the handles (18) which will efiect the re ease of the pressure between the rollers After the sleeve has been thus released, inorder to restore pressure to the rollers the sleeve is turned downwardly upon the threaded stud (8) until the latch again engages in the recess, the swinging of the latch having also the effect of disengaging the lug (23) so as to permit the operating member to re-assume its normal position. The desired amount of pressure may then be applied to the spring (4) by turning the sleeve in the opposite direction to the extent required.

What I claim is:-

1. Iii-apparatus of the class described, in combination with a wringer having a frame and spring pressed rollers mounted therein, a bracket mounted, on the frpme, a threaded stud fixed upon the spring of the wringer, a recessed adjusting sleeve exoPerativo position,

tending through the bracket and having threaded relation with the stud, a spring pressed latch adapted to engage the sleeve in the recess thereof, and an operating member adapted to normally hold the latch in engaging position.

2. n apparatus of the class described, the combination of a wringer having a frame and rollers mounted therein, a spring acting against the bearings of one of therollers having a threaded stud fixed thereupon, a bracket mounted in the frame above the spring, a recessed adjusting sleeve extending through the bracket andhaving threaded relation with the stud, a spring premed latch pivoted in the bracket engaging the sleeve in the recess thereof, and an o rating member in pivotal relation wit the bracket and adapted to normally hold the latch in engaging position.

3. In apparatus of the class described, a frame having a bracket fixed in the top thereof, a pair of wringer rollers mounted in the frame, a spring havin bearing relation to hold the rollers toget er and havin a threaded stud fixed thereon, a -----=-i sleeve having threaded relation with the stud and extending movably through the bracket, a latch pivoted in the bracket adapted to engage the sleeve in the recess thereof, and an operating member adapted to engage and hold the latch in normal position.

4. In apparatus of the elm described, a pair of wrmger rollers, a spring for compressing the rollers together and having a threaded stud in connection therewith, a sleeve engaging the stud, a pivoted latch adapted to engage and hold the sleeve in operating position; and an operating member against which the latch bears and is thereby held in engaging relation with the sleeve and which is adapted to release the latch from engagement therewith when actuated.

5. In apparatus of the clam described, a wringer proper including a spring for compressing the rollers thereof, a threaded sleeve engaging the stud, a latch for engaging the sleeve adapted to hold the latter in an operating member for normally holding the latch into engagement with the sleeve, and springs for holding the operating member into engaging relation with the latch.

6. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a wringer proper including a spring for compressing the rollers thereof together, a threaded stud on the spring, a bracket having a pendant tubular exitension, a sleeve having threaded relation w th the stud and extending movably throughjhe bracket and pendant extension usages 9 thereof, a spring pressed latch pivoted in eition, and a yoke for retaining the operatthe bracket andadapted to normally engage ing member upon the extension. 10 the sleeve, an operating member loosely In testimony whereof I aflix my signature,

mounted upon the exzonsion and. having a m presence of two witnesses.

5 lug projecting therefrom adapted to engage ARTHUR H. PETERS.

and hold the latch in connected relation \Vitnesses: with the sleeve, sprlngs for normally hold- MATILDA Mn'nnnn, ing the operatlng member In engaging po- WALTER G. BURNS. 

